Test drive the BLS

[70eldo]

Hey guys

Maybe you already know the BLS will launch 8th of april. I am invited at the Cadillac dealer in Hamburg next week Thursday for a presentation and a test drive! I will definately make pictures and let you people know all about my driving impressions. They will have the 1.9 turbo diesel and the 2.8 turbo V6.

I am very excited about this premiere!

[davesdeville]

Let us know your thoughts.

[70eldo]

Tonight is the night!

[jonnyd]

I dont like the looks on that car at all...but do let us know how it handles

[Jesda]

Take pics for us or you're banned.


DISCLAIMER: I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking. I am just joking.

[70eldo]

Hi guys. I went to the 'Cadillac Experience' last night. All kinds of bobo's looking important. I hate that... and of course when I came in at 8pm all the snacks were cold...

Anyway, I took some pics and I sat in the BLS. But then my girlfriend called me she went to the hospital, so I missed out on the test drive because I imidiately drove up to Berlin. Then, on my way, she called me everything was ok and she wanted my to return to Hamburg so I wouldn't miss my day at work. I made an appointment for next week, so I WILL let you know how the BLS handles! I can't upload pictures at work nor in Berlin, so I can post the pictures yet after the weekend. SORRY!!!!

Ok, the first impressions of the BLS as I sat in it: Not THAT much smaller than the CTS. Legroom even seems more in the front (the dash is a little higher). The rear seats are crampier than the CTS. The driver seat sits deeper than in the CTS, so on the right side you feel more closed in. But you can adjust the armrest also laterally (front-back), so you can move it out of the way of your elbow and you can, of course, move the seat up. The dash and door panel materials look good and feel good. Smooth and soft. The wood trim is not over the top at all. Nicely balanced. The sound of the doors closing is very nicely dampened. Better than the CTS!
The seats in the front are very comfortable and support very well. I will report more about it after the test drive. The rear seats are, like I said, smaller than in the CTS but don't feel cheap and the leather is nice and thick (but smooth).

The glovecompartment is bigger than in the CTS. I guess it has less equipment stashed behind there than in the CTS
The dash, clockwork and console are clearly arranged. You can reach and oversee everything very well. The steeringwheel gear switches are neat. But I will report more about that after the test drive of course, just like about all the other controls.

Darn, I forgot to take a pic of the engine bay. Next time! But I seen it and it looks very clean. Just as in the CTS.

The trunk is roomy. It seems just as bigger than you would expect as in the CTS. But not for golfers... Ah well, golfers buy a bigger car anyway...

The rear end looks similar to the CTS. They made the brake light smoother, so not as edgy as the CTS. But looks very nice. I will take more pictures next time. Oh, I feel so bad posting this without the pictures!

I also got to see the XLR, H3, SRX, STS, Escalade and Z06. I REALY like the XLR and STS! I was very disappointed in the Escalade and H3. I know some of you have been complaining about the dash in the CTS, but damn that is cheap plastic in there!!! And those ugly buttons! Sorry, but that Escalade does not feel like a Cadillac! And the SRX feels like a roomy CTS. Felt quite at home in there

Ok, more next week!!!!

[Adam]

should have test drove it to the hospital! i dont see that going over too well with local authorities nor the dealership however.

[soupero]

he should have test drove the Z06 to the hospital he would be there within 10minutes

but the thing I hate is that the BLS is just a Saab 9-3 AND the thing cadillac had to do is give the BLS RWD so more people would be interested in it!
Many people in Belgium are going for the new BMW 3' diesel version because it's a BMW(high re-sale value) and it has RWD(sporty) if cadillac had gave the BLS RWD they would have won many new clients!

But I'm looking forward to your pictures (and post some of the Z06 and the STS if possible).

[harryctsv]

Originally Posted by soupero

he should have test drove the Z06 to the hospital he would be there within 10minutes

but the thing I hate is that the BLS is just a Saab 9-3 AND the thing cadillac had to do is give the BLS RWD so more people would be interested in it!
Many people in Belgium are going for the new BMW 3' diesel version because it's a BMW(high re-sale value) and it has RWD(sporty) if cadillac had gave the BLS RWD they would have won many new clients!

But I'm looking forward to your pictures (and post some of the Z06 and the STS if possible).

Hi soupero,
I don`t agree because in this kind of car-class the FWD is a good thing. On April 2 my daughter came home with a brand new BLS from my dealership, just took it out the show room and let her driving it and she, my wife and me too like this car very much. Right now she drives the CC 206 (you know) but she buys next week this BLS she drove. It`s the 1.9 D with 150 hp and a six speed auto transmission, the built quality is excellent and it`s fully loaded (leather-navy-power seats-xenon-and a great sound system. Best of all here in Europe with this rising gasoline prices is the fuel consumption, you can almost drive 1000 km (600 miles) with one gas-tank of fuel.
The look of this car is great (in it`s class) from front it looks similar to the new DTS and from back it`s unmistakable CADILLAC. This car got it`s own look and that`s what I like. Even with this small engine you get 0-60 mls in about 9 sec and top end by speedo is about 230 kph (143 mph).
Why did your dad bought this STS in case of a 5 series or e-class?????

Another good thing because you`ve talked about the Z06, I´ll get tomorrow a press car (the Z06 or maybe a CTS V) for one week from Cadillac-Europe, how you like that?

Have a nice sunday
Harry

[soupero]

Well the BLS is offcourse a good car (cadillac cars are always very luxurious) , but I thought cadillac is bringin this car on the market cause they want to increase their clients and with RWD they would have stolen alot of BMW customers, cause cadillac is bang for bucks!

My dad bought the STS cause of the good price compared with the benz and BMW and the STS is more loaded than those 2, if you want the same options on the benz/bmw you are going into 70 000€ and that was a little over the top and the cadillac has a great engine.
Also the dealer treats you better, the bmw/benz dealership would only treat the people with the AMG's or M's well.

Well I hope you have fun with the Z06 , it sure is a great car. I hope we will get to drive it too one day!
And take alot of pics please !

[Tuner@A&ACorvette]

Originally Posted by 70eldo

Hey guys

Maybe you already know the BLS will launch 8th of april. I am invited at the Cadillac dealer in Hamburg next week Thursday for a presentation and a test drive! I will definately make pictures and let you people know all about my driving impressions. They will have the 1.9 turbo diesel and the 2.8 turbo V6.

I am very excited about this premiere!

[70eldo]

FINALLY!

I got to test drive a silver 2.8 Turbo sport luxury. I picked it up last night and I will return it tonight. I drove it from Hamburg to Berlin (200 miles) last night (to my gf) and back this morning. So here is my experience:

Like I said before, the room for the driver is not much smaller than in the CTS. There's even more leg room and the steering wheel has tilt and telescope!

In the city it drives well. You have a good overview on traffic and it handles tight and direct. The seat is very comfortable, also on long stretches (lumbar support is manual). The seat and mirrors have 3 memory settings. I just miss a little more support on the sides of the seats. The sports version could have some deeper fit so you wouldn't slide in the corners (as it curves like a knife). Hardly understeer unless you apply too much gas in the corners (front wheel driven).

Of course I tested the top speed on the Autobahn. I topped at 255 km/h (160 Mph). The acceleration is better than the 3.2. I can't say for the 3.6. When you floor it at 0 it seems hesitate a little, but that's only a 1 second turbo lag. Than it kicks in and you fly away. The motor sound at low rpm is a nice deep tone. Not loud, just barely noticable. Nice! When you floor it it roars (slightly higher tone than the 3.2). Actually, the engine sound is less in the BLS than in the 3.2 CTS. But I had a sunroof and the wind noise is a lot more than in the CTS. With the CTS I notice more wind noise at the mirrors and the lower part of the doors. In the BLS it's the sunroof. Anybody with CTS sunroof?
The suspension is noticably stiffer than the CTS. Very sporty but not uncomfortable. I had to get used to it as it sticks to the road. At high speed you have to be aware of bumps. They will not be evened out like in the CTS. So road feel is good, if you like sporty. I liked the braking of the BLS more than the CTS. In the CTS the brakes tend to shutter at higher speeds. The BLS brakes keep smooth. The brake handling is different though. Braking abrupt at higher speeds the BLS tends to sway more than the CTS.

I also checked the reaction of other people on this car. It's a new model, but not many people seem to notice. A lot different than the CTS! On the Autobahn a silver Benz coupe, a black BMW and a black Mini Cooper S wanted to keep up with me, but couldn't In the city at the traffic lights I had some few people looking at the car, but no real head turners like with the CTS. It's not a big car and the lines are not as daring as the CTS. Even the STS front wouldn't really turn heads here. If you want to blend in with a high quality sports luxury car over here, than this is a very nice car for you!

In my opinion this car competes with the BMW 1 series, the Audi A3, Volkswagen Jetta. No headturners either. It shares it's platform with the Saab 93 and Opel Vectra. It's only a few hunderd Euros more expensive than the Vectra.

For the US market? Well, the Saab and Jetta sell in the US too, right? So why not? Fuel prices keep rising, so a small diesel Cadillac might be welcome again in the US...

Sorry, pictures and films follow tomorrow. I finally get my internet back then after I moved 4 weeks ago... slow bureaucratic system...

[soupero]

Originally Posted by 70eldo

FINALLY!


Of course I tested the top speed on the Autobahn. I topped at 255 km/h (160 Mph). The acceleration is better than the 3.2. I can't say for the 3.6. When you floor it at 0 it seems hesitate a little, but that's only a 1 second turbo lag. Than it kicks in and you fly away..

.


isn't that just cause of the turbo, like you mentioned! It wouldn't suprise me that it is faster!

[Lord Cadillac]

Thank you very much for this BTS review!

[soupero]

you mean "BLS"